The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-12
DIR. m'GLyNN's CONSCIENCE.

In what was said by DR.. McGlynn,
a. reported In the ArrrAL this morning. In
reference 10 conscience. there 10 nothing
contrary 10 good sound Catholic teaching.
You will hnd the Doctor IL only repsstinG
what 10 said BY . learned Jesuit father.
Bu,snbaum. In his work on theology.
have not seen the work. but II 10
quoted approvingly by Father, now
Cardinal, Newman, In his celebrated
lsttsr 10 the Duke Of Norfolk, at the
time tsome years sincs) Of Gladstone con
trsvsrsy. Its also quoted By Father Ryder.
On eminent Enslish priest. In the con-
trovsrsy with Littlsdals.
Bussnbaum. among other things, says that
one should not become . Catholic against
ones conscience. As I understand the
matter. Il means that. 10 quote . line from
Byron,
"Mau's conscience 10 the oracle Of God"
Therefore. your short editorial 10 all %.
CArHoLio.
As our correspon dent says DIR. Nc
Glynn may be merely repeating the
words Of the learned jesuit, sustained
by the more learned New.
man, but Il 10 evident his
conscientious application Of
their idea or thsoryb not atone with
the laws Of the church. Because II 10
not Il has excommunicstedh him. The
church holds, ard very properly,
that adults shall not be cd.
mitted to the church unless
they are rsligiously convinced that
II 10 the church Of God, dIvlnely COM
missioned and Ia means Of grace end
OF salvation, through Christ Here
the conscience has free play. But
o &c baptized end confirmed the situa-
I on changes. In al the conditions Of
life the good and the trus Catholic
must be guided by the loving hand Of
he church, his mother. His exter.
I nal duty consists In the life In the
church and according to iis teach
inss, which 10 infsllible. The
Pope also Ia iniallible when
speaking eI-cathedra, or 10 his quality
a. Pope, on questions Of faith aud
morals, and there Is no appeal from
hlm-hIs dicta is not 10 be questioned
or gsipssyed by any one, even q Oar
dinaL Ia the case Of DR.. MeGlynn hi,
iniallible conscience has been struck BY
the more infallibls church aud he ha,
gone down never 10 come ~ a. 9
Catholic. His conscience would no,
permit him TO yield obedience 10 hi,
supehors and they very properly dis
ciplined him. Still continuing In con
tumscy, he was summoned 10 Rome
There he refused TO 20. He VI. siver
forty days, upon the expiration o
which he was assured he would b
visited by the severest pun
ishment OF the church. To this h
made no response. He treate'
the church which he Affects 10 rever
with contempt, and lie machinery o
government with supercilious iuso
lerce, and when he was finally dis
posed OF sets up his conscience agalns
iu historic demand Of absolute sub
elton on the part Of oil lie member
The ascendsncy and supremacy O
conscience was Luther's plea. Who
summoned before the Diet OF Worm
he begged on the hrt day for time
make reply oonsclen,iously. The ne,
day he denied both Pope and council
BY the holy scriptures, the adequai
Interpretation Of which remained wit
the church, and TO which he appeale,
he had already, he said, bee
} varquished and his conscienS
, taken captive. To act again
} IN. dictates a his conscienS
} he held would be dangerous. 81 ca
, do 10 otherwise, God help mel" B
, cried, aud he was immediately p,
/ under the ban OF both POI
} aud Emperor. Luther thu
asserted the right Of private judguen
4 which 10 the distinctive basis OF Pro
1 estantism and the one special Law thI
most sccen,ua,es the difieren'
> between the Catholic ChurC
4 and the Christian bodies Chi
TO II are In heresy or schisu
. The Protestant searches the Scrip
, ures" for himself and puts hls own Il
4 depreciation upon Il. The osthol
reads II with the ohurch's interpret
, ton 10 guide him 10 an undo
, standing Of II that s In .
.,.d 18th Aha faith. thu Grad. and n